Media captionTrenton Oldfield swam between the Boat Race crews in the Thames

A man who disrupted this year's University Boat Race has been jailed for six months for causing a public nuisance.

Trenton Oldfield, 36, of Myrdle Street, east London, swam into the path of crews on 7 April interrupting the 158th race between Oxford and Cambridge.

Olympic rower Sir Matthew Pinsent who was on a launch behind the crews said Oldfield could have been killed.

Oldfield said he was demonstrating against government cuts.

The man, who had moved to the UK from Australia, was also ordered to pay £750 costs.

'That is prejudice'

Judge Anne Molyneux said Oldfield had acted dangerously, disproportionately, had not shown what he was actually protesting against, and displayed prejudice in sabotaging the event which he regarded as elitist.